Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-14
DAILY HERALD.
The Olive Tree.


through the ages it would appear that
when once planted it can be left to
take care of itself.
Virgil says in his Georgics that the
olive tree needs no cultivation, and
Pliny repeats with him that it should
not be given too much care.
Columelle atfirms also that of all
trees the olive is the one which re-
quires the least work and the least
manuring. He does not, however,
recommend an absolute abandonment
of the first of all trees" as he calls
it, but judges that it is the tree par
excellence that can stand neglect and
bad treatment better than any other.
1t has nevertheless been since
recognized that the olive tree, though
by no means exacting, needs a certain
amount of care, especially as regards
pruning. 1t might be said, however,
in connection with this, that in GER
tain olive regions of Europe Africa
and Asia there are still many olive
trees that are never pruned, and re-
ceive no care whatever.
1t is thus we read in DR.. Thomson's
stThe Land and the Book"
''This tree requires but little labor
or care of any kind, and il long
neglected, will revive again when the
ground is plowed, and begin afresh to
yield as before. Vineyards forsaken
die out almost Immediately; and null
berry orchards neglected run rapidly
to ruin but not SO the olive. l saw
the desolate hills of Jebel-El-Alah,
above Antioch, covered with these
groves, although no one paid any at
tention to them for half century.
Large trees in good season will yield
from ten to fifteen gallons of oil. No
wonder it is so highly priced"
Reynaud tells that in lhe south of
France the olive gives abundant pro-
duct without the effort of a careful
and costly cultivation. (Which is the
tree" says he, (Which like it de-
mands so little care, So little cultivat-
ing, so little manuring"
Other modern writer's on the COM
trary insist the olive tree should be
carefully worked, pruned and ma
nured.
Between tn, Sc two extreme views it
is well to allow ourselves to be guided
to certain extent by the experience
of past generations, which is often
transmitted to us under the form of
proverbs. 1t is thus that We have
been Graded in our younger days by
such old sayings as: can olive tree
requires wise man at it's foot and
fool at its head" and yet: "Make
me poor and | will make thee rich )"
from which we would infer that the
tree is not so much in need OF a costly
stirring OF the soil as it is Of a careful
pruning.
The caution that is thus recon-
mended to us as regards to the culti-
walton of the soil around the olive tree
is iu certain measure the natural
consequence of the rocky and steep
situations where it is most generally
found in Europe, and where the plows
cannot find easy access. In such
places where plowing is out of the
question two or three hoeings year,
q few feet around the tree, will be
sufficient to insure its rapid develop
ment. Eugenio Ricci says to this
effect: "The soil should be dry and
stony, and on a slope. There should
be no other cultivation except occa-
sionally to remove the grass and
loosen the soil. At least twice year
the land should be worked with the
hoe for three feet around the tree,
which process should every second
year be preceded by a manuring."
If olive trees are planted, in arabic
lands, then the heavier the soil the
oftener it has to be stirred, while on
light soils it eau be done less fre-
quently. 1t is thus evident that the
cultivation of the olive tree should not
be identical in all soils, and it belongs
to each olive-grower to apply the most
suitable method as per the character
and constitution of his land.
Manuring the olive tree meets with
no opponent, for no one could ignore
the advantage it presents.
As for pruning, there are many di-
vergent opinions. An olive tree never
pruned bears heavily one year and
gives but little fruit the year following,
as it needs rest for its laborious efforts
but by judicious pruning it is brought
to give regular yearly crops.
Du Breuil tells us on that subject
that the berries of the olive that is
notpruned are very numerous and
that they remain on the tree until the
end of winter, so that during fertile
years all the sap has gone to support
their growth, preventing new bearing
branches from forming for the follow
ing year. 1t is thus that the fructif-
cation Of the olive trees not pruned is
most always biennial. -.
The pruning of the olive tree should
have mostly for its object to decrease
the height of its head so as to render
the picking of the crop more easy; to
give to that head such form as to
allow light and ventilation in all its
parts; to suppress every year GER
tain number of the bearing branches
so that the sap can feed better those
that remain, and that by the develop
ment of new branches it may assure
a good average crop every year.
Young olive trees are generally left
to themselves for the first two years
following their planting, pruning be-
ing applied only in their third.
Riondet recommends to direct the
tree in such manner as to avoid the
ultimate necessity OF having to sup
press large branch or to inflict big
wound upon it. 1t will be sufficient
to that effect to clear the tree of the
small branches that can no more bear
fruit.
Coutance guards us against the
unreasonable pruning that seems to
be recommended by the proverb
ga wise man at its foot, fool
at its head" though he would
rather prefer it to a complete
abandonment. He simply recon-
mends the suppression OF all dead
wood, the cutting of the branches that
prevent light and air from circulating
into the center of the tree, the giving
it regular shape and the keeping it
from growing too high, which would
result in the sterility of the lower parts
a l. g I4